The South Island's Thermal Playground - Hanmer Springs

Hanmer Bakery is just outside of the middle of town, out the northern end. It's on your left as you head north up Conical Hill Road, in a little alcove with a big yellow sign above the door. It's not easy to spot, but is well worth stopping by to sample their cakey stuff.

It's a simple little place, beautifully decorated so that it looks very professional in appearance, with just a couple of glass fronted cabinets and a big professional espresso coffee machine. The staff greet you with a smile and are happy to recommend something if you can't make up your mind.

We had ourselves a latte, a cappuccino and a banoffee tart. Now, I am something of a connoisseur of the banoffee pie - it is one of my favourite things in the world - and at $3.99 I thought it was well worth a try. I was not disappointed. Easily the best banoffee tart I've ever had. Excellent whipped cream, crunchy crust, thick rich banoffee cream ... it was perfect.

They have a good range too - it's not huge but what they have is good quality and there's none of the substandard stuff you often see making up the space in bakeries. If you're in Hanmer, take the time to stop in. Great coffee, great pastries, friendly service - what more can you ask?

This is the reason that Hanmer Springs - as a destination - really came to be. There are other attractions, with white water rafting, speedboating, skydiving, the inevitable bungy jumping and various other options all available. And of course there's lots to do in the ski season. But the Springs are there all year round and they serve as a perfect complement to all this other stuff, as well as a standalone attraction that makes the little town well worth a visit.

They're very easy to find, right in the middle of town in a big glass fronted cabin. When you go in, there's an excellent gift shop, with a range of New Zealand products on offer including an array of hot springs merchandise like thermal mud and soaps and the like. These are amongst the best of their kind you will find anywhere (I'm told) and the prices are not as high as you might expect. We took care of a fair amount of Christmas and birthday gifts while we were there!

There's also a snack bar within the pools, though this is rather costly, so you're better off eating before you come or after you leave.

If you're bringing the kids, there's an adventure pool around the back. It's not very big, but it's well put together and offers an range of slides and waterfalls to keep the little ones occupied.

The prices are pretty reasonable. At the time of our visit it was $14 for a single visit, free for children under 3, $7 for kids and £18 to get a pass to return later the same day. I highly recommend this option as it is a great way to round out the day. We went early in the day and - even in the offseason - the place was quite busy. We spent a relaxing day exploring the area and then came back after dark for a second visit. This latter visit was perfect. It was quieter, the air was cooler and it was an ideal way to unwind and relax before heading back to our room at Le Gite around the corner. They open 7 days a week from 10am to 9pm.

NOTE: Make sure you take off your jewellery before you go in. There were no warnings as such that we saw, but the natural sulphur pools (you can tell them by the rotten egg smell) seriously tarnishes silver and steel jewellery.

Quick Tip: check through the tourism magazines you find all over the country for vouchers for the hot pools at Hanmer Springs. There's always some kind of offer in there and if you can find a 2 for 1 or free return pass then this becomes quite a cheap activity.

There's a variety of walks available around Hanmer Springs, and you can pick up a very straightforward map of the immediate area with all these walks clearly marked (including estimated walking times) from whichever accommodation option you choose. All of the walks are free and you don't need any special equipment to take them. A decent pair of walking shoes and a water bottle, some waterproofs and a water bottle are all you should need.

Conical Hill runs up from the north edge of the town. Take the main Hanmer Springs Road up through the centre of town, up Conical Hill Road up to the top of the hill and, just after the turnoff to Oregon Heights you find a sign taking you up into the woods. The path is very clearly marked and well maintained, so you don't have to worry about scrambling over rocks and negotiating any shingle; it's easy from start to finish. It takes about half an hour to reach the summit, walking at a moderate pace.

When you reach the top, there's a lookout with the points of the compass marked and other New Zealand locations marked on a big brass compass, so you can get your bearings. The views are nothing compared to some of New Zealand's other locations, but it is still very beautiful up there and very leaceful. We were the only people we saw while we were at the summit and only passed one or two people on the way up or back, though we were there in the offseason.

For me, New Zealand's greatest strength is its scenery. There are some magnificent locations and these easy, short, free walks are a great way to get an eagle eye view of the place. Conical Hill is short and easy and well worth the hour or two it will take to make the trip.

There's a variety of walks available around Hanmer Springs, and you can pick up a very straightforward map of the immediate area with all these walks clearly marked (including estimated walking times) from whichever accommodation option you choose. All of the walks are free and you don't need any special equipment to take them. A decent pair of walking shoes and a water bottle, some waterproofs and a water bottle are all you should need.

Conical Hill runs up from the north edge of the town. Take the main Hanmer Springs Road up through the centre of town, up Conical Hill Road up to the top of the hill and, just after the turnoff to Oregon Heights you find a sign taking you up into the woods. The path is very clearly marked and well maintained, so you don't have to worry about scrambling over rocks and negotiating any shingle; it's easy from start to finish. It takes about half an hour to reach the summit, walking at a moderate pace.

When you reach the top, there's a lookout with the points of the compass marked and other New Zealand locations marked on a big brass compass, so you can get your bearings. The views are nothing compared to some of New Zealand's other locations, but it is still very beautiful up there and very leaceful. We were the only people we saw while we were at the summit and only passed one or two people on the way up or back, though we were there in the offseason.

For me, New Zealand's greatest strength is its scenery. There are some magnificent locations and these easy, short, free walks are a great way to get an eagle eye view of the place. Conical Hill is short and easy and well worth the hour or two it will take to make the trip.

Mike and his wife are something of a local institution. When we visited their little chip shop off the high street, the walls were festooned with writing and decorations to keep you occupied while you wait for your food. The menu itself is very simple, with a few rather interesting options thrown in.

With British roots, they've tried to bring a bit of the British chippy to New Zealand. New Zealand chip shops have an identity all of their own - which I must admit is usually of a higher quality than their British counterparts - but they've managed to blend the two rather nicely here. There's all the usual options, plus other little offerings, like salt and vinegar, battered sausages and mushy peas. This latter I highly recommed to you - it's something of a speciality of theirs. Mushy peas are a hard thing to do right, but they've managed to produce a pretty good version here. They're cheap, they're filling and they're tasty - and as mushy pea enthusiasts will tell you, they make a superb accompaniment to your fish and chips.

The staff are excellent. It's a small place, with very little room to manouevre, but Mike and co are very friendly, more than happy to chat and always upbeat as they run around in the small kitchen. It was a short wait for our food, despite the large number of orders that came in while we were there, and the food itself was delicious. It was cheap too, with us getting two fish, a sizeable bag of chips and some mushy peas for less than $10. Their meal deals on the wall are all excellent value, with something to cater for whatever it is you're after.

When we were there, there was talk that they were going to sell up and move to a place on teh main street, offering a slightly higher class of food, but if that's the case then I think it would be a shame. There's a lot of costly options available in Hanmer Springs and not a lot of cheap ones, and Captain Mike's had a lot of character. If they have moved though, do drop in and give the new place a look.

Le Gite is a small, beautifully maintained little hostel on Devon Street in the backstreets of Hanmer Springs. You get there by turning left off the main street down Argelins Road and then turning onto Devon road to the left just before you reach Jack's Pass road. Hanmer itself is a great place to visit. It's a village, so don't expect bright lights and all night entertainment, but it's peaceful, it's clean, it's full of friendly New Zealanders and is surrounded by truly spectacular scenery. All the shops and attractions can be found or booked on the main street - along with the famous Hot Springs themselves - but Le Gite lies on Devon Street, which is about a fifteen minute walk or a two minute drive from the town centre.

It's run by Brenda and Geert. I didn't meet Geert, but Brenda could not have been more helpful or welcoming when myself and my wife went to stay there. We stayed in the double ensuite in the 'garden chalet', which gave us a little privacy but still left us a few steps away from the communal areas.

The room itself was wonderful - plenty of space to stretch out, unpack our bags a little, with a kettle and separate sink and basin as well as a very pleasant little porch where we could sit and enjoy the brisk evening air if we felt so inclined. Extremely comfortable bed, really nicely decorated hostel throughout with everything kept very clean, very well coordinated and well organised.

The communal areas were warm and homely, with freshly laid eggs available for purchase, free tea, coffee, sugar and hot chocolate, great cooking facilities, real log fire, internet access, tv room and a few videos available if there's nothing good to watch.

I really can't recommend this place strongly enough. Probably the best organised, best run, most pleasant hostel I have ever stayed in. Full marks.

Linen included: Yes
Price: Moderate, but high quality
Internet: $2 for 20 minutes. Paid wireless available.
Extras: Free tea, coffee, sugar and hot chocolate. Fresh eggs.

Hanmer Springs is one of New Zealand's top holiday destinations, particularly for resident New Zealanders. Every holiday season people flock to this secluded little village to sample the nearby thrill rides and - more imprtantly - the revitalising hot springs.

The route to get there bears a mention. The drive is very beautiful, particularly if you come from the north. If you do this, however, do make sure you have plenty of fuel in your vehicle for the trip as there's a whole lot of nothing between Kaikoura and Hanmer, with steep, windy roads that really eat through your petrol or diesel at an alarming rate. Be warned though - Kaikoura is just about the most expensive place in New Zealand to buy fuel. When we were there is was 25 cents a litre more than it was in Christchurch.

We took the drive up from the garden city and it took a little over three hours. Be wary when you come to the turnoff for Hanmer because it all looks the same up there and it's easy to miss the turn. Junction 7A, where Mouse Point Road turns into Lewis Pass road. This last section of the drive is very beautiful too.

You'll pass the main whiteknuckle attraction before you reach Hanmer itself. Thrillseekers Canyon out on Main Road has an array of thrilling options on offer and it's a pretty well run organisation. It's not cheap (examples: $129pp for adventure quad biking, $110pp jetboating), but it's not outrageously expensive either and you do get a pretty stunning backdrop for your buck when you go with these guys. They open all year, so if you don't mind a little cold go in the offseason to beat the inevitable high season crowds. Hanmer gets really busy in the holidays.

Hanmer itself is a great little town. Nicely put together, it's a place that knows precisely what it is. There's a decent selection of shops offering really good quality souvenirs and decorative items, along with outdoor clothing and equipment stores, a decent selection of restaurants and eateries and a good selection of attractions too. You can explore the area in the big orange 'Hot Tracks' ATVs for a price that's best suited to good sized groups. I didn't do this myself but it comes very highly recommended by the locals.

There's a few accommodation options, ranging from extremely expensive hotels to some very reasonable hostels. All of them are in reasonably easy walking distance to the town centre though, so don't be worried about getting stuck out in the sticks.

One final note is to make sure you visit the hot springs while you're here. They're the reason for Hanmer's existence as a destination and they deserve the mantle. With a broad range of pools available they're a deeply relaxing way to while away the hours in this beautiful location. Before you go check through the voucher sections of the tourism magazines you find everywhere in New Zealand. There's always some vouchers for Hanmer Springs - I found many that let you go back twice in the same day, which was well worth doing as the second visit after dark was a wonderful way to relax before bedtime.